With the excitement of a long weekend it’s easy to lose sight of what this extra vacation day is really about. Today, Veteran’s Day, offers a specific opportunity to express our gratitude for the sacrifices military men and women make every day across the country. As one of our country’s most vital valuable assets, the military and its missions and tactics are frequently discussed and praised.

But often left unnoticed is the military’s growing leadership on the energy front.

A lot can happen in one hour. But on Twitter, that doesn’t even begin to explain it. Last week, more than 130 of you joined the Alliance, Energy Star, Cree, Inc., the American Lighting Association, and others to talk saving money with energy-efficient lighting during our second LUMEN Coalition Twitterchat. And in just one hour, together we sent out over 500 tweets and reached 210,000 people.

By now, most of us now associate vampires with “Twihard” tweens obsessed with a certain book and movie series. You might have hoped the craze would pass and you’d never have to hear about those blood-sucking creatures again.

But like it or not, vampires are a part of all of our lives, and it doesn’t come and go with pop-culture fads or Halloween season. Also referred to as “phantom load,” “standby power” or “idle current,” vampire energy is the electricity that outlets and electronics endlessly “suck” from our plugs, even if the device is fully charged, off , or in sleep mode. Microwaves, coffee makers, laptops, printers, TVs, cable boxes, (literally anything you can plug into an outlet) and more are haunted by vampire energy.

Thinking of finally making the switch to LEDs soon? Trying to find an easy way to save money every month? Confused about your energy-saving lighting choices? Wondering how to replace your 40-watt and 60-watt incandescent bulbs?

Well there’s no need to worry, because the 2nd LUMEN Twitterchat has got you covered. More than 80 of you with 125,000 followers joined us last time and we think it’ll be even bigger this time!

As part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, the EPA has proposed carbon dioxide (CO2) New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for new fossil fueled power plants. But really all eyes are on upcoming rules for existing power plants. Whether viewed with enthusiasm or trepidation, it could be a very big deal.

Four decades ago this week, an energy crisis began that would change America. It would eventually lead to cars and trucks across the country forming double lines at every gas station, customers waiting hours to get to a pump, prices skyrocketing 300 percent, and drivers limited in how much gas they could buy. And infamous signs reading “NO GAS” and “Sorry No Gasoline” became regular sights on the road.

Anyone who has stayed in a hotel recently is likely familiar with the leaf-adorned bathroom cards asking guests to “Save Mother Earth!” and hang up their towels if they do not need them to be washed, or signs reminding them to turn off the lights when leaving the room. But anyone who has stayed in a hotel recently is probably also familiar with air conditioners perpetually set at 68 degrees (I bet if you are a woman you bring along a sweater or jacket when attending conferences and meetings in a hotel even in the dead of summer) and TVs playing late into the night in empty lobbies. These hotels tout how “green” and “eco-friendly” they are—but how much energy are they really saving?

In addition to taking photos, using maps, chopping fruit and playing word games, you can get apps that bring energy efficiency to your fingertips. With your smartphone, it is easier than ever to start saving energy today!

So without further ado (drumroll please), here are the Top 10 Energy Efficiency Apps for 2013!